I have been a nurse for a year and a half now... I can honestly say I chose nursing as a career back in college because I knew I wanted to work in healthcare and I like working directly with people.
Sadly... after each shift working as a graduated RN, I grow more tired of the profession. Do I still enjoy working with people? Of course. Do I still enjoy feeling like I make a difference? Definitly. But why is it that I dread wearing those scrubs? That the 3 twelve hour shifts feel brutal? That I can't stop worrying "did I do everything right? Is that patient going to be okay?" That I don't want to deal with shift report if it has to be with that nurse? I do work night shift... and I'm working hard to get on to days. Part of me feels that if I can have a normal sleep-wake schedule I'd feel better... but the other part of me notices that days are still 12 hours shifts. Day shift still occurs on weekends and holidays... and day shift has most of the more negative nurses I've encountered. Nursing is a tough field. You have to be able to work with everyone well - the patient, the patient's family, the doctor, the respiratory therapist, the nursing assistant, the secretary... and most of all the nurses.
The problem I'm facing is deciding what to do... I worked hard for my BSN, but frankly, if I can't handle even 2 years, how will I survive 20? My mom says "get your master's and teach!" My boyfriend says "just do what makes you happy!" And I do want to go back to school. But I'm so tired all of the time, and if I'm this unhappy with nursing, why sink myself in more schooling for it? Perhapes I'm burned out on shift work. Perhapes it's the environment working in the hospital and dealing with more acute care that has me so tired... Perhapes I just need a place to express this to other nurses - to just VENT. I'm not expecting pity... I'm just looking to see - is this really only me that feels this way? Is there really anyway to get over this? What has anyone else done? I'm just feeling so burned out...
I think the way you are feeling is more common that you think or other will lead on. The difference is you are making it known. I was in the same boat as you the only difference is that I got tired of the profession by the end of my BSN program. I took the boards and got my license but took a job in another field. I was so much happier and to this day am very pleased with how things have turned out. There are times when I think about going back into nursing but when I think back on the reasons why I chose not to enter the field I know I made the right choice. Hey I love working M-F 8-4, love having my weekends off, love being able to put the kids to bed. When I was in school I worked and had those 12/hr night shifts 5 nights in a row and it SUCKS, no question about it. My trouble is that I do enjoy the healthcare field, I enjoy the science behind it, I find it fascinating. Recently I have thought about going to graduate school and getting into healthcare administration as a way of getting back into the field. I agree with what your mom and your boyfriend. Do what makes you happy and maybe parlay a graduate degree with your nursing experience into some sort of administrative job or teaching job. Glad to hear you speak your mind and good luck with your decisions.
This is my own opinion and take it for what it is.....for those of you who feel this burn out early on in your career's... you are not ALONE.... many of us have/do...
Someone once mentioned to me "why don't you teach"... well, how can I honestly teach something that I can not honestly tell how it really is... after 36 yrs it is no better and I find myself looking to change again. I have worked in every area of the hospital but NICU, worked Rehab, Alcohol/drug, with the America Red Cross, RN office, home health, medical chart review... believe me, it's still no better.
I wished I had done something about it before I got so much older that I don't want to go back to school or do anymore studying...not at 65..I just want to add that life will get in the way of doing something different.
The 12 hr shifts are killers, 8 hr shifts in an OR is a killer when it turns into 22 oncall....
No one cares that you wear your body out... no one cares that you hurt, actually no one cares about your stress only if you show up..
It has nothing to do with "this generation". I am in my 40's and have just over a year experience and have felt the same way on and off from the beginning. I finally did switch to day shift last week. Yes, it's work, it's a job. But the reason I went into nursing was not to have just "a job". I want to work with people and make a difference and go home after every shift knowing that I did something for each of my patients that made their day at least a little better. Hard to do when the only thing management cares about is "get 'em in, move 'em out and chart, chart, chart". I barely get to know some of my patients. I go home feeling that I have just survived 12 hours of total chaos some days. Day shift, although much better for my body, is more chaos and too many chiefs running the show. I am finishing my BSN currently and plan to go on....in what? Not really sure yet. I totally understand where the OP is coming from. We do not get the opportunity very often to make the difference we want to make or feel that we have even connected to our patients. Planning on making a specialty switch when BSN is done..maybe I just need to find my "place". Good luck, you are young enough to make a switch. Do find what makes you happy!! :)
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I think being on days and having a normal sleep schedule would prbly help you, nights depressed me and made me hate nursing too.
Unfortunately, the glitz and glamour and expectations we have when we graduate are crushed very soon in nursing...Burned out? No I don't really think you are...cynical a bit maybe...I think you just need a change of scenery.
Me.I'm cynical...I don't expect anything from anyone or anybody because crappy is just the way life is. I don't expect to be happy anymore.
I'm sorry. I can't imagine not being happy at all, even with a small portion of your job. Even though my husband stuggles with his health and I have a special needs daughter, I drive to work in very happy moods. I figure it could always be worse and I should be appreciative of the things I do have. Hubby isn't terminal and daughter isn't severly disabled. I HAVE to find the good in things or I probably would go drive off a cliff.
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
OP, I would try to get on days and even change floors or facilities. Look at what where your passion lies. You like helping people. What kind of people? Pregnant moms, babies, geriatric, walkie talkies, etc..
I had the same burn out you did after 16 yrs and actually got out of nursing to stay home. I had to go back to work for income purposes. Long and reptitive story short, I found a hospital and a job I love. I truly enjoy going to work. I never, ever thought I would feel that way.
I too was in your boat. I just changed scenery within the past month and am working on a new unit. I loved the people I worked with, just felt it was unsafe and unnecessary to take on the workload I was forced to do on my old unit.
hanalei05
1 Post
I think the way you are feeling is more common that you think or other will lead on. The difference is you are making it known. I was in the same boat as you the only difference is that I got tired of the profession by the end of my BSN program. I took the boards and got my license but took a job in another field. I was so much happier and to this day am very pleased with how things have turned out. There are times when I think about going back into nursing but when I think back on the reasons why I chose not to enter the field I know I made the right choice. Hey I love working M-F 8-4, love having my weekends off, love being able to put the kids to bed. When I was in school I worked and had those 12/hr night shifts 5 nights in a row and it SUCKS, no question about it. My trouble is that I do enjoy the healthcare field, I enjoy the science behind it, I find it fascinating. Recently I have thought about going to graduate school and getting into healthcare administration as a way of getting back into the field. I agree with what your mom and your boyfriend. Do what makes you happy and maybe parlay a graduate degree with your nursing experience into some sort of administrative job or teaching job. Glad to hear you speak your mind and good luck with your decisions.